Three Common Grammar Mistakes: “a lot” or “alot”; abbreviating “versus”; and when “nor” is appropriate on its own

Are sticky grammar questions plaguing you? Let Writer’s Relief give you the down and dirty on some common grammar mistakes:

Do you write a lot or alot?

Do you write “Sam ate a lot for breakfast” or “Sam ate alot for breakfast”? Does it matter? Yes. Writing “alot” instead of “a lot” will make a difference in how your writing is perceived. Many writers seem to think they’re interchangeable, but guess what? “Alot” is not a word. Ever. So, unless you want a publisher to question your expertise with the English language, always write “a lot” when you mean to convey “to a considerable quantity or extent.”

We would be remiss if we didn’t note that “a lot” should not be confused with “allot,” meaning to distribute a portion of something. (For example: “Dad’s will allotted $5,000 to each of us.”)

Versus

Confused about how to abbreviate “versus”? Is it “v” or “vs”? With the period or without? Or should you not abbreviate “versus” at all and always write out the full form? The Gregg Reference Manual tells us that the abbreviated form of “versus” you use depends on what you are writing. In a legal citation, i.e., the citation of a case in a legal brief or other document, always use “v.” as in “Marbury v. Madison.” In any other work, yes, you can abbreviate “versus” to “vs.” Include the period every time.

Nor

One way to use “nor” properly is in its most common use: paired with “neither.” (If that’s not possible, you can always use the conjunction “or” instead.) Examples:

One Response to Three Common Grammar Mistakes: “a lot” or “alot”; abbreviating “versus”; and when “nor” is appropriate on its own

Just a note: In regards to your last sentence under “Versus,” if you are using AMA style, do not include the period after “vs” when abbreviating “versus.” If medical editors got paid per period deleted after “vs,” we would be wealthy beyond our dreams. ;-)